Fury at Left on Thatcher state funeral

They risked an angry backlash after it emerged she will be accorded the nation’s highest honour when she passes away.

There is no suggestion that the 82-year-old former Conservative Prime Minister is ailing, sources stressed. Although frail following mini-strokes, she is said by friends to have been “on fine form” recently.

As socialists raised concerns at spending public money on the planned large set-piece funeral, Shadow Minister Alan Duncan said: “Lady Thatcher rescued Britain from economic collapse. She hastened, along with Reagan and the Pope, the collapse of Communism.

“Such historic achievements, along with her undoubted integrity, deserve the fullest ­possible recognition.

Les Heyhoe, of the Falklands Veterans’ Foundation, said: “It’s an excellent idea.

“Irrespective of everyone’s politics, the Falklands was a time of crisis and she was a great leader. It’s an accolade and it would be very well deserved. She is very, very highly respcted.”

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate in Glasgow East Ian Robertson said: “She has contributed a great deal and has served her country and I think it’s fitting we recognise that.”

But Paula Mitchell, spokeswoman for the Socialist Party, said: “Margaret Thatcher is representative of cuts, priva­tisation, driving down wages, attacking pensions.

“So to lord that is a huge insult for all those millions of working-class people, who paid the price for those policies.”

Andy Brooks, the general secretary of the New Communist Party of Britain, said: “Margaret Thatcher was a divisive figure. I would think among working people as a whole, the main thing would be the immense cost.”

Downing Street last night had no comment. But the Ministry of Defence was quick to play down fears that there would not be enough Armed Forces personnel to line the route of any procession – although it would not comment on “speculative” claims that a state funeral was planned.

“The Armed Forces will support the state as asked,” said a spokeswoman.

Lady Thatcher, Britain’s only woman Prime Minister who served 11 years from 1979, would be the first commoner to receive the honour of a state funeral since Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.

She is said to have chosen St Paul’s Cathedral in London for the service.

A senior official involved with the planning said it had yet to be decided whether Lady Thatcher would lie in state.

But the Queen has given permission for her to lie in the Chapel of St Mary’s Undercroft beneath Parliament’s ancient Westminster Hall on the night before her funeral and for family, friends and VIPs to pay their respects to her there.

The arrangements are being made under the overall guidance of Sir Malcolm Ross, former Master of the Royal Household, who has managed every royal funeral since 1997, including those of Princess Diana and the Queen Mother.

A source said: “It’s normal for a state funeral to be planned in advance.’’

But the source added that the availability of service personnel to line a long funeral procession route was “a serious consideration’’ with troops “stretched” by commitments, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lady Thatcher’s office could not be contacted yesterday by the Daily Express.

News that the Government was secretly planning a state funeral for Lady Thatcher emerged two years ago.

The then Prime Minister Tony Blair was said to favour it as a fitting demonstration of respect, despite dismay among some Labour MPs.

Months later, however, it emerged that No10 had denied plans were in hand.

Labour MP Rosie Cooper, who had written to Downing Street on behalf of disgruntled constituents, received a letter back from Mr Blair’s office stating that “there are no such plans”.